Carole... do you still want Zepherine Drouhin?

Cathy has one listed on her Ebay site: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Simon, what do we get for $22.00 plus postage, I am sure I could purchase it cheaper through her I think or a nursery.

All her roses seem to be different prices... but I have to say that of all the roses I have bought this year hers have been the best. So I guess you are also paying for a quality product.... the 'Lady Huntingfield' I bought off her was the best rose I have bought since moving here. You could always purchase more off her to fill the box. You can get up to three for the same postage.... still a hundred times (of course I am exaggerating) cheaper than Swanes postage (well... to here anyway) and her roses are just beautifully grown.

Oi David is the Pope a Catholic of course Carole wants it

AT THAT PRICE, have placed a late order with the "tangled mist" for it.

well done your such a love

Carole, I have a Zephrine Drouhin own root going for you I think. I took lots of cuttings but only got three to strike. I sent 2 to Lu because they were such slight roots, and I still have one growing for you I hope.

Yes Please Karen

Okay Carole, I will bring it out when I can. We have been going to Dubbo and Sydney more than Mudgee. I haven't told you yet, but Ray has lung cancer. He will be have Chemotheraphy as soon as he can.

Oh Karen, I am so sorry to hear your bad news about Ray. I do hope that he responds to treatment well. My best wishes to you both, it will not be an easy time for you. Keep strong.

Thank you Orchid40.

Karen,I am so sorry to hear about Ray , where is the closest place for Chemotherapy ? It will be hard if you have to travel all the way to Sydney. You know there is financial help for every one who lives in the country for petrol and accommodation costs if they have to travel more that about 100k's for treatment that can't be done here. It doesn't cover all the costs but it covers about half and as with all things Government you wait about 6 weeks for the money but it is better than nothing. Please give Ray our best wishes and think positive they do wonderful things now a days.

I am only at the end of the 'phone if you want to talk.

Thanks Carole. We can go to Dubbo to start with , I think they have the Chemotherapy there. Yes we have one of those forms filled in to do with the petrol. Should know more very soon about his treatment. Our family have been ringing up a lot.
Thanks again Orchard40 for your kind words, I was a bit tired so didn' say much last night in reply.

You're very welcome, Karen, I didn't expect you to say more. It was nice of you to acknowledge my post anyway.

Karen, sorry to hear of Ray's health problem. What he needs is the best possible treatment available so go right to the top. Make an appointment to see the cancer specialists at RPA. They have the top doctors and equipment.
Get the treatment now and pay for it later.

Hi Bruce. We were at RPA on Friday, Ray had a Pet scan. Also we saw a surgeon to check it wasn't able to be operated on.
We are seeing a very good cancer specialist doctor that comes up from Sydney once a week, only problem is that he is over seas for a week. We have another appointment to see him on the 17th of September to see about a plan to attack the cancer. The receptionist told me that the doctor saw the results for the Pet scan when he was in Dubbo on the Saturday ( the day after the PET scan ) before he left. I wish we had thought to ring him at his Dubbo surgery, I forgot he came there on weekends. Actually if we had been given a appointment on the Saturday directly after the PET scan it would have been the way to go. Maybe Ray could have been almost having chemotherapy now. Though he has the flu pretty bad now too.
Instead I rang the local doctor on the Saturday and the sugery wasn't open, though it usually is. So we went in first thing on Monday. We had been a bit confused who was surpose to be organising the chemotherapy because of a few different things. Anyway we have to just sit tight, the receptionist for the specialist said he would of contacted us if needed. Also the chemotherapy department from the Dubbo hospital has to contact us.
I was told by the local older Doctor we should be grateful its was a week and a half we had to wait to see the specialist and not in a month's time, when I started to get agitated the chemo wasn't being started almost straight away.

Keep on them Karen... don't take lines like 'you should be grateful'. They tried that with Dad too and we were like 'BULL$HIT! Get on it faster!' And they miraculously found time in their schedule and then they found it was a lot worse than they expected and had to operate immediately... Sure tests need to be done and they take time... but I think sometimes they put too many things into the same basket when some things, like this, need to be given priority. Newcastle isn't that far from you... neither is Gosford. Dad was treated in Gosford and they did an excellent job once they got going.

Karen, I don't know which doctor you go to here, but next time you go, try to be assertive and ask the Doctor what he can do to get things fast tracked for Ray. If you dont think Ray would like you asking the Dr like that, then let Ray leave the surgery first and you stop and talk to the Doctor. Try to be tuff Karen, if you don't push nothing will happen.
All the best my friend Carole

I have some good news. In about 2 weeks Ray will start aggressive Radioactive treatment for 6 weeks at the RPA. Every day except for the weekends, when Corrinne and I will go down to see him.
The request from our local doctor ( the older one ) to the right people got a Dubbo hospital and a doctor from Sydney ringing us today. Dubbo cancer unit is booked out so they thought they better get Ray started in Sydney. We have another trip down in a day to meet the women doctor, plus another doctor and start preparing Ray for it. Then we have a week before we go down again to start the treatment.
Thanks Carol, Simon, and Bruce for advice. I am sure glad we are off to the RPA.

This is good news Karen, it sounds like you had really good advice! These forums are gold mines of information aren't they?
All the very best to you and Ray, I hope the treatment is 100% successful.

Thanks for you kind words Orchid40. Also a gold mine of surport.

Karen you certainly have our support, best wishes and prayers for Ray. They can do wonderful things these days and I am so pleased that things have been fast tracked, the sooner they start treatment the better. Keep in touch my friend and tell Ray our thoughts are with him. All the very best of luck.

Thanks Carole. I'll come see you soon.

Good Karen just give me a ring first to make sure I am going to be home. Keep your spirits up.
See you soon. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]